The station waited to begin broadcasting live only because it lacked the necessary equipment, said UI Associate Professor Kembrew McLeod, the KRUI faculty adviser, who played a major role in organizing the events.

“[It] could theoretically broadcast live, but that technology was older, and it didn’t work very well,” McLeod said. “We didn’t want to risk an interruption.”

Iowa Public Radio canceled the popular 18-year show in late 2008 after a statewide program consolidation, canceling all shows that didn’t meet station standards for listening numbers. KRUI promptly picked up where public radio left off by rebroadcasting recorded readings on Sundays.

Iowa Writers’ Workshop Director Lan Samantha Chang gave the show’s début live reading on Sept. 30, with more than 100 people in attendance.

Since then, there have been two other broadcasts, and there are eight more on the itinerary.

Barista Seth Jones at Times Club Café in Prairie Lights, 15 S. Dubuque St., doesn’t have the opportunity to watch the readings but said they’ve been “really well-attended” recently.

Prairie Lights employee Elizabeth Cunningham said the readings have a “multitude” of people to do the introductions, including poets and International Writing Program participants.

UI senior Amanda Parker, the show’s producer, said she is excited about the show’s resurrection, the broadcasters will also focus more student audiences.

“As KRUI, we would love to have our marketing [geared] toward students,” Parker said. “We want the students to feel involved in something iconic of Iowa City culture that they might not typically know about.”